Ben

I must say I'm making slow progress with Bakewell's How to Live. It's a fascinating book, but it's actually a lot longer than I thought it would be, due to the smaller text. Also it's the opposite of the 'easy reads' I wanted to start the year off with until exams are over. I'm not going to discard it, because I'm really enjoying it, but it's unfortunately going to have to be slow going, at least until the 17th where I'll have much more lesiure time to read. Frustrating, but nothing much I can do about it.

Hey, enjoy your 2012 reading, looking forward to reading your thoughts.

Unfortunately not - all my university happenings simply haven't given me the time, I also didn't own series seven on dvd, and don't often like watching thiings like this on the internet. I did, however, happily receive it for Christmas and as soon as the exams are over - on the 17th - I plan to power through the rest. I must say, I'm actually quite excited to do so.

I'll let you know how she gets on. Boy is definitely one I'll get around to sooner than later, and haha that makes a lot of sense.

Yeah that's another thing I wouldn't mind knowing - I guess I could have missed something but I'm sure that wasn't explained. I think there was more in it than just scaring them off, and if there wasn't then that's completely unrealistic and would never work. Hey bobblybear, no I haven't actually. I thought the book was fantastic though so I'll definitely keep an eye out for the film. Thanks!

Going to answer this in this thread as it's easier to keep track of. I kind of felt the same as well, he left a lot of unanswered questions. I want to know more about Angela the herbalist, who just seemed more mysterious the more the series went on. I also want to know about the old man Eragon encountered that was 'searching for the answer.' Paolini also just skimmed through a lot of stuff, like I was disappointed that the Menoa tree asked for something in return and it sound ominous and gloomy - then it just didn't take anything at all. I thought some of it sounded ridiculous as well - I didn't fully understand how Roran got rid of the army by sitting in the middle of the road with the shimmer around him. As for him not coming back, he could quite easily I'm sure. I mean he has Saphira to fly him around, surely it wouldn't take that long. I guess Paolini left a lot open incase he wants to write another book about the world, which he could quite easily do. Was a little infuriating though, even if I did enjoy it on a whole.

Hey VF, just wanted to wish you a good 2012 reading year, I look forward to reading your thoughts and reviews.

This sounds like a great fantasy trilogy to take a look at - think I might add it to my wishlist. Also best of luck with your 2012 reading.

Thanks, I guess the advantage of having a massive TBR is that it means I have lots of fantastic books still on the horizon. Of course on the other hand it seems like a constant up-hill struggle to make a dent in it. A struggle that's guarenteed to get worse as my books deliveries for university come rolling in over the next couple of weeks. I'm already starting 2012 with purchases I have no choice to make.

That was it, couldn't remember the word they used exactly but I figured it would be something along those lines; thanks Kell.

What can I say? I was too impatient to leave it until 2012.

Hey best of luck with your 2012 reading. I have Lovely Bones on the TBR so glad to see you enjoyed it enough to give it 5 stars.

Just had a couple of books delivered from Amazon - only two for the minute but there's more on the way. They're all books for university, and I'm hoping that the staggered arrival won't make it seem like a massive jump already in my TBR. The Hound of the Baskervilles & The Valley of Fear. - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Body in the Library. - Agatha Christie.

Hey willoyd, best of luck with your reading in 2012. I'd also like to think 2012 was my year for Les Miserables but we'll have to see about that.

Hey, happy reading for 2012. You've got some great books on TBR, and I can definitely relate to wanting to buy less and reduce the TBR - I think we all can.

Slow reading day yesterday, only managed 30 or so pages of Sarah Bakewell's How To Live which I have to admit is brilliant so far.

Happy reading in 2012 Shin, looks like you've got some cracking books on TBR to get through.

Great review of Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal poppy, I've just bought this for my grandma for her birthday, so it's good to know you've enjoyed it. Also another good review for Boy - I have this on Mount TBR so might have to push it up the pile a bit.

Thanks Janet, looks like I'll need some luck if I want to put a big dent in it.

Starting Sarah Bakewell's - who, may I add, has such a fantastic name - How To Live, which I have started before but never got anywhere with because of distractions at the time. It wasn't through want of interest though, as what I did read was great. Synopsis: How to get on with people, how to deal with violence, how to adjust to losing someone you love? How to live? This question obsessed nobleman Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, whose free-roaming explanations of his own thought and experience were unlike anything written before. Into these essays he put whatever was in his head: his tastes in wine and food, his childhood memories, the way his dog's ears twitched when it was dreaming, events in the appalling civil wars raging around him. The Essays was an instant bestseller, and over four hundred years later, readers will come to him in search of companionship, wisdom and entertainment - and in search of themselves. Looking forward to this biography a lot; how I get on will probably determine how soon I dive into the actual Essays which I have waiting on Kindle.

Hey Janet, just wanted to pop in and wish you a happy 2012 reading, have a good one.

Finished Doctor Who: Touched By An Angel by Jonathan Morris in the early hours, and thought it was a decent read. Not one that I'm going to rave about and recommend to everyone, but worthwhile. I'm also waiting for a delivery of some books for university that were dispatched on the 31st and which somewhat frustratingly haven't arrived yet.

Finished Doctor Who: Touched By An Angel by Jonathan Morris last night. Thoughts: All in all I thought it was a good read - gripping, funny in parts, and it had me turning the pages eager to know what was going to happen next. I thought Morris brought across the characters well from the screen - I found them believable. The plot itself was a clever one, as the Doctor and his companions race to stop the Weeping Angels from carrying out their plan. Mark, sent back in time to when his younger self was at university, must obey the rules and be careful of the contact he makes - otherwise there could be disastrous ramifications. In the end it will come down to the decision he must make, to decide how this pans out. Overall then, a decent read with enjoyable dialogue and a good plot. 3/5.